Turntable

ABSTRACT

A turntable of a recording medium drive can include a coupler having an inner circumference to which a rotating shaft is fixed, and an outer circumference onto which a disk is inserted; a table extending outwardly from the outer circumference of the coupler and for mounting the disk thereon; and first and second claws elastically supporting the disk by making contact with a clamping region of the disk. In an embodiment, the distance from the center of the rotating shaft to an outer surface of the first claws making contact with the clamping region of the disk is longer than the distance from the center of the rotating shaft to an outer surface of the second claw making contact with the clamping region of the disk.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No.11/759,802, filed Jun. 7, 2007, which claims the benefit of KoreanApplication No. 10-2005-0135088, filed Dec. 30, 2005, which areincorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

In general, recording medium drives record data in a recording medium orreproduce recorded data from the recording medium.

A recording medium drive incorporates a turntable on which the recordingmedium is placed, and a spindle motor rotating the turntable.

BRIEF SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present invention can provide a turntable for arecording medium drive.

According to an embodiment, a turntable can include a coupler having aninner circumference to which a rotating shaft is fixed and an outercircumference onto which a disk is inserted; a table extending outwardlyfrom the outer circumference of the coupler and for mounting the diskthereon; and first and second claws elastically supporting the disk bymaking contact with a clamping region of the disk. The distance from thecenter of the rotating shaft to an outer surface of the first clawmaking contact with the clamping region of the disk can be longer thanthe distance from the center of the rotating shaft to an outer surfaceof the second claws making contact with the clamping region of the disk.

According to another embodiment, a turntable can include a couplerhaving an inner circumference to which a rotating shaft is fixed and anouter circumference onto which a disk is inserted; a table extendingoutwardly from the outer circumference of the coupler and mounting thedisk thereon; and first and second claws elastically supporting the diskby making contact with a clamping region of the disk. The first claw canhave a shape different from a shape of the second claw.

According to yet another embodiment, a turntable can include a couplerhaving an inner circumference to which a rotating shaft is fixed and anouter circumference onto which a plurality of disks having clampingregion inner diameters different from each other can be inserted; atable extending outwardly from the outer circumference of the couplerand for mounting a disk thereon; and first and second claws elasticallysupporting the disk by contact with a clamping region of the disk. Whenone of the disks is inserted onto the coupler, the first claw makescontact with the clamping region of the disk, and as the disk rotates,the first and second claws make contact with the clamping region of thedisk.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a recording medium drive including aturntable according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a turntable according to an embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a turntable according to an embodiment;and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a turntable according to anembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, turntables according to embodiments of the presentinvention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a recording medium driveto which a turntable according to an embodiment is applied.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a recording medium drive has a bearing housing110 that has the shape of a cylinder, the top of which is open, and iserectly installed on a base 200. A bearing 115 is installed in thebearing housing 110.

A rotating shaft 120 is inserted and supported in the bearing 115 on alower side thereof, and is exposed above the bearing housing 110 on anupper side thereof.

A stator 130 is fixed to an outer circumference of the bearing housing110, and a rotor 140 is fixed to the rotating shaft 120 exposed abovethe bearing housing 110.

The stator 130 includes a core 131 fixed to the outer circumference ofthe bearing housing 110, and a coil 135 wound around the core 131.

The rotor 140 has the shape of a cylinder, the bottom of which is open,and is fixed to the rotating shaft 120. The rotor 140 includes a rotoryoke 141 enclosing the stator 130, and a magnet 145 that is attached toan inner circumference of the rotor yoke 141 and faces the core 131.

When external electric power is supplied to the coil 135, the rotor 140is rotated by the action of an electric field generated from the coil135 and a magnetic field generated from the magnet 145, and thus rotatesthe rotating shaft 120.

A turntable 150 can be inserted onto and fixed to the rotating shaft 120above the rotor 140, and a disk 50 can be mounted and elasticallysupported on the turntable 150.

The turntable 150 according to an embodiment can function to properly,elastically support a disk 50 having various inner diameters withoutdamage to the turntable 150.

In an embodiment, the center of the disk 50 can be prevented fromdeviating from the center of the turntable 150 beyond a setup value dueto the eccentricity of the disk 50 itself caused by high-speed rotationof the turntable 150.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a turntable according to anembodiment, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line I-I ofFIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 2, the turntable 150 can include a coupler 151, atable 154, and a plurality of claws 156.

The coupler 151 can have the shape of a tube. The shape of the couplercan allow the rotating shaft 120 to be press-fitted and fixed into thecoupler's inner circumference. An outer circumference of the coupler 151can be tapered in an outward and downward direction of the rotatingshaft 120. This tapering can allow a disk 50 to be stably lowered alongthe outer circumference of the coupler 151.

An annular recess 151 a may be formed between the inner and outercircumferences of the coupler 151 if necessary. A metal piece (notshown) or a clamping magnet (not shown) can be fixed to the annularrecess 151 a.

The table 154 extends outwardly from the outer circumference of thecoupler 151 in a ring shape, and the disk 50 can be mounted on the table154.

The claws 156 can include a plurality of first claws 157 a, 157 b and157 c and a plurality of second claws 158 a, 158 b and 158 c. The firstand second claws 157 a, 157 b, 157 c and 158 a, 158 b, 158 c can beformed on the outer circumference of the coupler 151.

In a specific embodiment, a plurality of channels 153 can be formed inthe outer circumference of the coupler 151 and an inner circumference ofthe table 154. The first and second claws 157 a, 157 b, 157 c and 158 a,158 b, 158 c can be respectively surrounded by the channels 153.

Each of the first and second claws 157 a, 157 b, 157 c and 158 a, 158 b,158 c can be integrally formed with the coupler 151 at an upper endthereof, and can be cantilevered at a lower end thereof adjacent to theinner circumference of the table 154.

Each of the first and second claws 157 a, 157 b, 157 c and 158 a, 158 b,158 c can be tapered in the same profile as the outer circumference ofthe coupler 151, and can be brought into contact with an innercircumference of the disk 50, i.e. at a clamping region of the disk 50.

In the turntable according to an embodiment described above, each claw156 has been described as being integrally formed with the coupler 151.However in another embodiment, each claw 156 can be extended from therotor yoke 141 to contact a clamping region at an outer circumference ofa disk 50. In a further embodiment, each claw 156 can be installedtogether with a spring so as to have a resilient force.

However, in order to describe features of the claws 156, FIGS. 1, 2 and3 illustrate an example in which the claws are integrally formed withthe coupler 151.

In the turntable according to an embodiment, the first claws 157 a, 157b, 157 c have a different characteristic from the second claws 158 a,158 b, 158 c.

In a specific embodiment, the first and second claws 157 a, 157 b, 157 cand 158 a, 158 b, 158 c can be formed at the coupler 151 at a uniforminterval. The second claws can be located between adjacent first claws.For example, second claw 158 a can be located between first claws 157 aand 157 b, second claw 158 b can be located between first claws 157 band 157 c, and second claw 158 c can be located between first claws 157c and 157 a.

Referring to FIG. 3, a distance L1 from the center O of the coupler 151to an outer surface of a first claw 157 a, 157 b, 157 c for contact withthe clamping region of the disk 50 is longer than the distance L2 fromthe center O of the coupler 151 to an outer surface of a second claw 158a, 158 b, 158 c for contact with the clamping region of the disk 50.

For example, when the clamping region of the disk 50 has an innerdiameter from 15.00 mm to 15.15 mm, the distance L1 can be set to arange from 7.575 mm to 7.600 mm, and the distance L2 can be set to arange from 7.500 mm to 7.525 mm.

A thickness t1 between inner and outer surfaces of a first claw 157 a,157 b, 157 c can be smaller than the thickness t2 between inner andouter surfaces of a second claw 158 a, 158 b, 158 c. The difference inthicknesses t1 and t2 can provide the second claws 158 a, 158 b, 158 cwith a rigidity stronger than that of the first claws 157 a, 157 b, 157c.

The operation of elastically supporting a disk 50 on a turntableaccording to an embodiment will be described below.

First, it may be assumed that the inner diameter of the clamping regionof the disk 50 amounts to 15.00 mm, i.e. half of the inner diameter ofthe clamping region of the disk 50 is 7.50 mm.

In this case, because the distance L1 from the center O of the coupler151 to the outer surface of the first claws 157 a, 157 b, 157 c and thedistance L2 from the center O of the coupler 151 to the outer surface ofthe second claws 158 a, 158 b, 158 c are longer than half of the innerdiameter of the clamping region of the disk 50, both the outer surfacesof the first claws 157 a, 157 b, 157 c and the outer surfaces of thesecond claws 158 a, 158 b, 158 c can be in contact with the clampingregion of the disk 50, and thus elastically support the disk 50.

Here, because the distance L1 from the center O of the coupler 151 tothe outer surface of the first claws 157 a, 157 b, 157 c is longer thanL2, the first claws 157 a, 157 b, 157 c are relatively more deformedwhen being in contact with the clamping region of the disk 50. However,the first claws 157 a, 157 b, 157 c can be thin to exert a relativelyhigh elastic force, so that the elastic force thereof is not reduced byplastic deformation.

In addition, because the distance L2 from the center O of the coupler151 to the outer surface of the second claws 158 a, 158 b, 158 c isshorter than L1, the second claws 158 a, 158 b, 158 c are relativelyless deformed when being in contact with the clamping region of the disk50. However, the second claws 158 a, 158 b, 158 c can be thick to havegreater rigidity, so that they firmly support the disk 50.

Accordingly, for a case in which a disk 50 having a small inner diameteris inserted, when the turntable 150 is stopped or is rotating at a lowspeed, the first and second claws 157 a, 157 b, 157 c and 158 a, 158 b,158 c elastically support the disk 50 to match the center of the disk 50with the center of the turntable 150.

In a case in which the center of the disk 50 tends to deviate from thecenter of the turntable 150 due to the eccentricity of the disk 50itself caused by high-speed rotation of the turntable 150, the first andsecond claws 157 a, 157 b, 157 c and 158 a, 158 b, 158 c elasticallysupport the disk 50 to match the center of the disk 50 with the centerof the turntable 150.

Next, for a clamping region of a disk 50 mounted and supported on theturntable 150 having an inner diameter of 15.15 mm, i.e. half of theinner diameter of the clamping region of the disk 50 is 7.575 mm, thedistance L1 from the center O of the coupler 151 to the outer surface ofthe first claws 157 a, 157 b, 157 c can be longer than the half of theinner diameter of the clamping region of the disk 50, and the distanceL2 from the center O of the coupler 151 to the outer surface of thesecond claws 158 a, 158 b, 158 c can be shorter than the half of theinner diameter of the clamping region of the disk 50.

Thus, in the case in which the turntable 150 is stopped or is rotatingat a low speed, the disk 50 is elastically supported by the first claws157 a, 157 b, 157 c. Although the disk 50 is elastically supported onlyby the first claws 157 a, 157 b, 157 c, the center of the disk 50 ismatched with the center of the turntable 150.

In addition, when the turntable 150 rotates at a high speed, theeccentricity of the disk 50 itself overcomes the elastic force of thefirst claws 157 a, 157 b, 157 c, so that the disk 50 tends to deviatefrom the center of the turntable 150.

However, when the center of the disk 50 tends to deviate from the centerof the turntable 150 beyond a setup value, the disk 50 can beelastically supported by the second claws 158 a, 158 b, 158 c having agreater rigidity, so that the center of the disk 50 does not deviatefrom the center of the turntable 150. At this time, the first claws 157a, 157 b, 157 c are relatively more deformed, but are not damaged due toflexibility thereof.

Because the turntable 150 generally rotates at a high speed of 10,500rpm, embodiments of a turntable should have good support performance onthe disk at the high speed, as well as guarantee long-term durability atthe high speed.

Thus, a recording medium drive according to an embodiment canelastically support the disk 50 within the setup value irrespective ofthe inner diameter of the disk 50 and the rotating speed of theturntable 150. Further, the first claws 157 a, 157 b, 157 c that arerelatively more deformed can have a relatively higher elastic force, sothat the durability of the recording medium drive is improved.

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a turntable according to anotherembodiment.

Referring to FIG. 4, a turntable 150 can be adapted so that the rigiditythereof can be adjusted by forming the first claws 157 a, 157 b, 157 cwith a different width from the second claws 158 a, 158 b, 158 c insteadof different thicknesses as described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

In an embodiment, the width w1 of a first claw 157 a, 157 b, 157 c canbe smaller than the width w2 of a second claw 158 a, 158 b, 158 c. Thus,the first claws 157 a, 157 b, 157 c can have rigidity lower than that ofthe second claws 158 a, 158 b, 158 c.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a turntable according toyet another embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 5, a turntable 150 can be adapted so that the rigiditythereof can be adjusted by forming the first claws 157 a, 157 b, 157 chaving a different length from the second claws 158 a, 158 b, 158 c.

In an embodiment, the length of a first claw 157 a, 157 b, 157 c can besmaller than the length of a second claw 158 a, 158 b, 158 c. Thus, thefirst claws 157 a, 157 b, 157 c have rigidity lower than that of thesecond claws 158 a, 158 b, 158 c.

In a turntable according to an embodiment as described above, in a casein which the disk having a small inner diameter is mounted on theturntable, the disk can be elastically supported by the first claws 157a, 157 b, 157 c, where the first claws have a longer distance than thesecond claws from the center of the turntable to the outer circumferencewhich contacts the disk, and by the second claws 158 a, 158 b, 158 c,where the second claws have a shorter distance from the center of theturntable to the outer circumference which contacts the disk,irrespective of the rotating speed, etc. of the turntable.

In a case in which a disk having a large inner diameter is mounted onthe turntable, the disk can be elastically supported by the first claws157 a, 157 b, 157 c when the turntable is stopped or is rotating at alow speed, and then additionally by the second claws 158 a, 158 b, 158 cwhen the turntable rotates at a high speed.

In embodiments the first claws 157 a, 157 b, 157 c can have rigiditylower than that of the second claws 158 a, 158 b, 158 c.

In embodiments the first claws 157 a, 157 b, 157 c can have a thicknesssmaller than that of the second claws 158 a, 158 b, 158 c.

In embodiments the first claws 157 a, 157 b, 157 c can have a widthsmaller than that of the second claws 158 a, 158 b, 158 c.

In embodiments the first claws 157 a, 157 b, 157 c can have a lengthsmaller than that of the second claws 158 a, 158 b, 158 c.

The first claws 157 a, 157 b, 157 c have been disclosed as havingdifferent rigidity from the second claws 158 a, 158 b, 158 c. However,the first claws 157 a, 157 b, 157 c may have the same rigidity as thesecond claws 158 a, 158 b, 158 c.

Further, the first claws 157 a, 157 b, 157 c may have rigidity higherthan that of the second claws 158 a, 158 b, 158 c.

With this construction, a turntable according to embodiments canelastically support a disk to match the center of the disk with thecenter thereof irrespective of the inner diameter of the clamping regionof the disk, the rotating speed thereof, and so on.

Further, the first claws, which may become more deformed by thehigh-speed rotation of the turntable depending on the inner diameter ofthe disk, can have a relatively high elastic force, so that thedurability of the turntable is improved.

Any reference in this specification to “one embodiment,” “anembodiment,” “example embodiment,” etc., means that a particularfeature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with theembodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Theappearances of such phrases in various places in the specification arenot necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Further, when aparticular feature, structure, or characteristic is described inconnection with any embodiment, it is submitted that it is within thepurview of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, orcharacteristic in connection with other ones of the embodiments.

Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number ofillustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerousother modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled inthe art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles ofthis disclosure. More particularly, various variations and modificationsare possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subjectcombination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawingsand the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications inthe component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also beapparent to those skilled in the art.

1. A turntable comprising: a coupler having an inner circumference, towhich a rotating shaft is fixed, and an outer circumference, into whicha disk is inserted; a table extending outwardly from the outercircumference of the coupler and mounting the disk thereon; and firstand second claws elastically supporting the disk by making contact witha clamping region of the disk, wherein the first claw has a first widthsmaller than a second width of the second claw.
 2. The turntable asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second claws are formed on thecoupler at a uniform interval.
 3. The turntable as claimed in claim 1,wherein the first and second claws are each three in number.
 4. Theturntable as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second claws areintegrally formed with the coupler.
 5. A turntable comprising: a couplerhaving an inner circumference and an outer circumference; a tableextending outwardly from the outer circumference of the coupler; andfirst and second claws integrally formed with the coupler at an upperend thereof and cantilevered at a lower end thereof, wherein the firstclaw has a first width smaller than a second width of the second claw.6. The turntable as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first claw has afirst thickness smaller than a second thickness of the second claw. 7.The turntable as claimed in claim 5, wherein the outer circumference ofthe coupler is tapered in an outward and downward direction of a centerof the inner circumference of the coupler.
 8. The turntable as claimedin claim 5, wherein the coupler includes an annular recess formedbetween the inner and outer circumferences of the coupler.
 9. Theturntable as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first and second claws areformed on the coupler at a uniform interval.
 10. The turntable asclaimed in claim 5, wherein the first and second claws are each three innumber.